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Ed Rasimus
 
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Default Santa Fe Experiences

On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 17:41:50 -0400, Lawrence Leichtman
> wrote:

>In article >,
> Bill > wrote:
>
>> Lawrence Leichtman wrote:
>>
>> > Glad you had a good expereince at Geronimo. I have had terrrible service
>> > with wonderful food and wines. They will have a food and wine tasting
>> > menu this fall if anyone is in the area. I also highly recommend the
>> > Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta in September where these 2 restaurants
>> > are represented along with some wonderful wine tasting dinners from some
>> > of the best distributors.

>>
>> The only thing wrong with the Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta is that it
>> does not last nearly long enough to try all the good restaurants in
>> town not to mention a few up in Taos. It is a great experience to see
>> the match ups of 120 chile based dishes with the various wines.
>>

>Then you just have to stay longer.


Monday through Friday was as much as my poor liver could stand. The
fourth major dinner on Thursday night was at The Compound. Wife went
one more time with the tuna tartare--and pronounced the Compound
iteration as the best of the breed. I chose their signature starter,
foie gras and sweetbreads which was incredible!!!! They recommended a
Royal Hungarian Tokaji which provided me my first experience with the
wine. Had a nice conversation with the manager regarding Hugh
Johnson's involvement with RH and the resurgence since the collapse of
the Soviet Union/Eastern Bloc of good wines from the area. We also
discussed the ranking in "puttanyos"--with the preponderance of
Spanish speakers in the area, it seemed prudent not to emphasis how
many "putas" are involved in the wine-ranking. ;-)

Main course was an excellent beef tenderloin with foie gras reduction.
Wine was a Heitz Cellar 2000 Napa Valley Cab Sauvignon. Excellent
wine, but not the blockbuster that the previous night's Shafer Cab
was.

Lunch was at El Farol, where I must always check to see if they have
been able to translate Spanish cuisine into New Mexico. We did a huge
paella "for two" that could have fed six! Not bad, but not quite there
yet. Wine was Condada de Haza Ribero del Duero. I think I've used up
all I want to of El Farol. Next visit to Santa Fe, will make it to El
Meson on Washington St. and see if they do a better job.

Winner for the week? The Compound!....by a landslide (both votes!)


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8